Dan Rather: D.C. Vote “Needs to Happen”—With Video!

Sen. Paul Strauss and Michael D. Brown, not to mention Shadow Rep. Mike Panetta, got to back, along with several dozen guests in the glow of Heroes' Hayden Panettiere and the somewhat, um, dimmer aura of David Keith and Melissa Fitzgerald (who, incidentally, appeared at a campaign event for 2006 Ward 3 candidate Robert Gordon, who ran against Strauss.)

But the real thrill for LL was to see Dan Rather greet the crowd. He didn't address voting rights in his remarks to the crowd, but in comments to LL afterwards said, "I do know about the home-rule problem and getting the vote. It's pretty clear it needs to happen, it will happen, and it's just a question of when it's going to happen." Rather spoke fondly about his time living in Washington, from the mid-60s until the late 70s, making his home in Georgetown.

Here's a short video of Rather and Panettiere holding forth on the issue du jour:

I interpret it to mean he believes "home rule" comes first. He is absolutely right. It is the "home rule problem" that is at the root of this shame. Non-voting is secondary.

Most people, some here in the District, don't know this. Autonomy and equal-protection are long forgotten ideals here outside the capital in Washington County , so perhaps you can't blame us for confusing the real comparative values of autonomy and voting rights.